"as this world is not capable to afford. Being "in misery, my redeemer is not without a sense "and feeling of my condition; but what is done "against me, he accounts as being done against "himself. The daily and continual prayers of "God's people ascend to the throne of grace "and mercy for me.-* Yea, the saints, that are ❝in heaven, cry unto God in my behalf, and for "the shortening of my time of trial.-United "with the saints of earth and heaven, I partake "with them in every act of divine worship, piety, ❝ and love: I am sanctified with them by the "one self-same spirit; I have with them one "hope of their calling,-one Lord, one Faith, "one Baptism, one God and Father of all, who " is above all, and through all, and in them all."

Blessed likewise, my brethren, are the other christian privileges of the holy Catholic Church, -the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. O let us magnify the grace of our merciful God, by

* See Note A.

Isai. lii. 13-liii. 12. Acts xxvi. 18. Rom. iii. 20—31· 2 Cor. v. 19, 21. Eph. i. 7.-iv, 32. Gal. iii. 15, 29. Tit. iii. 4-7.

which he accounts of the believers' sins, as if they had not been committed; and by which he justifies his people freely; through the atoning blood of his dear Son: their trespasses are laid upon Christ, whose righteousness serves to clothe them. *The bodies of God's faithful people shall, by a divine power, be raised again out of the dust of the earth; and being, in a joyful resurrection, united once more to their souls, they shall be invested with glory and immortality unto life everlasting.

And may God, in his infinite love, make us partakers of these blessed christian privileges. May he, the great master-builder of his own house, settle us among its living stones on the one only foundation Jesus Christ; in whom we shall daily increase, till all the building, fitly framed together, shall grow into an holy temple in the Lord. All this may he vouchsafe to do, in the name, and for the sake, of his Son Jesus Christ, our mediator and advocate.

1 Cor. xv. 14. Phil. iii. 21. John vi.

4.

* John v. 28, 29.

47. Matt. xxii. 30.

1 Pet. v.

II. Scriptural Authority. But let me now draw your attention particularly to the scriptural authority, on which this article of our creed, the holy Catholic Church, is founded.

It being a people called forth from the rest of the world, a sure mark, by which it may be known, must, of necessity, be the voice calling by the pure word of God. Such has ever been an outward sign of God's true church. Thus it was with Abraham, who went out, at the word of God, from his father's house. Thus was it also among his posterity, the Jews, though alas! with many declensions. And still, under the dispensation of the New Testament, this has been the infallible sign of God's church, both with the apostles, who were first summoned by the divine word to follow the Lord Jesus,-and then among the other faithful people of God. In that great instance of conversion, wrought by the ministry of St. Peter at a single sermon, three thousand persons, who heard it, were severed at once from the rest of the world. It was by the preaching of the word, that the Lord added to

the church daily such as should be saved. Acts ii. 41. 47.

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To proceed from the history to the doctrine of the sacred scriptures. The prophet Isaiah teaches one of the outward signs of God's people to be the word purely spoken among them. He appeals to the law and to the testimony;" and then adds, "if they" (the teachers) " speak 66 not according to this word, it is because there " is no light in them." viii. 20. St. John, the beloved disciple, also says, "If there come any "unto you, and bring not this doctrine-the "doctrine of Christ-receive him not into your "house, neither bid him God speed.” 2 Ep. 10. To the same effect is the declaration of St. Paul to the Galatians; 66 Though we," he affirms, 66 or an angel from heaven, preach any other

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gospel unto you than that which we have "preached unto you, let him be accursed." i. 8. More testimonies need not be multiplied on the subject; though our Lord Jesus Christ has himself plainly taught the same truth. In his address to the Pharisees, he condemns them as

false brethren on account of their false doctrine; "Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophecy of "you, saying,-In vain do they worship me,

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teaching for doctrines the commandments of "men." Matt. xv. 7, 9. And what else is this rebuke, but to set forth the doctrine of eternal life, and the teaching of it from the inspired word of God, as one of the certain signs of the true church.

That which has been said of the word of God is no less applicable to the sacraments of divine appointment; for these, when rightly administered, are likewise outward signs of the true church they are the seals of God's covenant, by which he manifests himself to be our God, and admits us to be his people: they are the pledges of his love towards us, which, if they be received by faith, we really enjoy, till we come actually to be in possession of perfect holiness and glory with Christ.

The sacraments of the Jewish church, assigned as its distinguishing marks, were circumcision